New Illinois congressional map released

Saturday

May 28, 2011 at 12:01 AM

SPRINGFIELD -- With just five days before the legislature is set to adjourn, Democratic lawmakers released their proposed redistricting map for the state’s 18 U.S. House seats.

SPRINGFIELD -- With just five days before the legislature is set to adjourn, Democratic lawmakers released their proposed redistricting map for the state’s 18 U.S. House seats.
The map divides Springfield and Sangamon County into two congressional districts instead of the current three.

The home of U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, would be in the 13th Congressional District, which would contain the city of Springfield except for the generally Republican west side.
The rest of Sangamon County would be represented by U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, in the expansive new 18th Congressional District.

Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-Corona, no longer would have a presence in Springfield and Sangamon County.

Priority on suburbs
While Shimkus’ new district appears to include more Democratic areas, it probably will remain a safe seat for him, said Kent Redfield, emeritus professor of political studies at the University of Illinois Springfield.

“You might get more serious candidates than you have had recently running against Shimkus,” Redfield said. “Twenty years ago, (then-U.S. Rep. Dick) Durbin won in a district that ran from Springfield down to the Metro East. This is all much stronger Republican than it used to be.”
The Democrats’ goal, Redfield said, appeared to be to maximize Democratic strength in the Chicago suburbs.

“Downstate was more dictated by what they did in Chicago and the suburbs and making the numbers come out right … rather than crafting some kind of district they can pick up (downstate).”
The new 13th stretches east to take in Decatur and Champaign-Urbana and south to grab Christian, Montgomery, Macoupin, Jersey, Greene and Calhoun counties. A spike juts down into Madison County to pick up Shimkus’ house. The district also stretches north to pick up Piatt and DeWitt counties and part of McLean County, including southwest Bloomington.

The 18th Congressional District would take in Cass, Mason, Morgan, Menard and Logan counties. Most of the city of Peoria would not be in the 18th, which also includes Hancock, Adams, McDonough, Schuyler, Brown, Pike, Scott, Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Stark and part of McLean counties.

GOP statement
Unlike state legislative districts, U.S. House members do not have to live in their districts in order to run.

Spokesmen for Schock and Shimkus did not respond to requests for comments about the new districts Friday. Instead, they issued a statement with the other members of the Illinois GOP delegation.
“The proposed map carves up towns and communities with little regard to the values and beliefs of the people who live there,” the statement said.

“This proposal appears to be little more than an attempt to undo the results of the elections held just six months ago, and we will take whatever steps necessary to achieve a map that more fairly represents the people of Illinois – they deserve nothing less.”
Schock’s chief of staff, Steven Shearer, issued a separate statement saying Schock will run for re-election, but it is unclear in which district he would run.

“He will make his plans known once we have a final map,” Shearer said.
When Schock, one of the Republican Party’s rising stars, was in Springfield on May 18, he complained about the process, but said he did not worry about being drawn out of his district.

“I don’t worry about things I can’t control,” he said. “At this point, I’m just focused on doing my job that I’ve been elected to do.”
Chris Wetterich can be reached at (217) 788-1523.

Map background
Because they control both legislative chambers and the governorship, Democrats can draw state House, state Senate and U.S. House maps without Republican input, but must do so by Tuesday. After that, maps will have to be approved by a three-fifths majority of the legislature, dealing Republicans into the process.

New legislative and congressional districts must be drawn every 10 years when the U.S. Census comes out.

The new Congressional district map shows Illinois with 18 U.S. House districts; the state will lose one seat because of slowing population growth in the latest census.

** Look at how the U.S. House districts are configured now **

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